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William Robert Spencer
| birth_place = London, England | death_date = October | death_place = Paris, France | occupation = Poet, humorist | nationality = English | ethnicity = English | citizenship = | education = | alma_mater = Christ Church, Oxford | period = | genre = Vers de société | subject = | movement = | notableworks = | spouse = Susan Jenison-Walworth (1770-1834) | partner = | children = Rt Revd Aubrey Spencer Rt Revd George Spencer William Spencer 2 additional sons, 2 daughters | relatives = | influences = | influenced = | awards = | signature = | website = | portaldisp = }} William Robert Spencer (9 January 1769 - 23 October 1834) was an English poet and wit. Life Overview Spencer, educated at Harrow and Oxford, belonged to the Whig set of Fox and Sheridan. He wrote graceful vers de société, made translations from Bürger, and is best remembered by his well-known ballad of "Gelert." After a life of extravagance he died in poverty in Paris.John William Cousin, "Spencer, William Robert," A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature. London: Dent / New York: Dutton, 1910, 353. Wikisource, Web, Mar. 3, 2018. Youth and education Spencer was born in on 9 January 1769 1769 at Althorp, Northampton, He was the younger son of Lord Charles Spencer (2nd son of the 3rd Duke of Marlborough) by Hon. Mary Beauclerk, daughter of Lord Vere. He was educated at Harrow and Christ Church, Oxford, matriculating on 13 October 1786, but took no degree.Alger, 388. Marriage On 13 December 1791 he married Susan, widow of Count Spreti, and daughter of Count Francis Jenison-Walworth, chamberlain to the elector palatine. (According to legend, her 1st husband committed suicide in order to enable Spencer to marry her, and this was said to have suggested Madame de Souza's story of Adèle de Sénange; but the husband there dies of apoplexy, and the authoress evidently imitated Madame de Lafayette's Princesse de Clèves.) The couple had 5 sons and 2 daughters. Career From 1797 to 1826 Spencer was a commissioner of stamps. His wit and accomplishments secured him great popularity in London society, and he was a frequent guest of the Duke of York. At his house in Curzon Street Pitt and Fox met, and among his other friends were Sheridan, Sydney Smith, and Horner. Owing to constitutional indolence he sought no prominence in public life, but was content with the reputation of a wit and a writer of society verses. In 1796 he published a translation of Bürger's Leonore; in 1802 Urania, a burlesque of German ghost literature, successfully performed at Drury Lane; in 1804 The Year of Sorrow, in memory of his mother-in-law and other ladies; and in 1811 a volume of poems. He also wrote in 1802 a prologue to Miss Berry's play, Fashionable Friends (see Miss Berry, Journal, ii. 195). Byron pronounced his verses, like his conversation, "perfectly aristocratic," and coupled him with Moore, Campbell, and Rogers as a pleiad of poets. Wilson, in ‘Noctes Ambrosianæ,’ referring to his "Bedgellert; or, The grave of a greyhound" (which still figured in some school readers in the late 19th century), makes Hogg say, "That chiel's a poet; those verses hae muckle o' the auld ballart pathos and simplicity" (Blackwood's Magazine, April 1827). In 1825, owing to financial embarrassments, Spencer withdrew to Paris, where Scott in the following year invited him to breakfast. A prey to poverty and ill-health, he remained in Paris till his death. He died in Paris 23 October 1834, aged 65. He was buried on 13 November 1834 at the Chapel, Harrow.William Robert Spencer, The Peerage. Web, Mar. 4, 2018. Publications Poetry *''Beth-Gêlert; or, The grave of the greyhound''. Dôlymelynllyn, Wales, UK: 1800. *''The Year of Sorrow''. London: W. Bulmer, for T. Cadell & W. Davies, 1804. *''Poems''. London: T. Cadell & W. Davies, 1811.. Plays *''Urania; or, The illumine: A comedy''. London: J. Ridgeway, 1802. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:William Robert Spencer, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. See also *List of British poets References * . Wikisource, Web, Mar. 3, 2018. Notes External links ;Poems *William Robert Spencer at HymnTime ("Be Merry All") *"Beth Gêlert; or, The grave of the greyhound" ;About *William Robert Spencer at The Peerage * Spencer, William Robert Category:1769 births Category:1834 deaths Category:Spencer-Churchill family Category:People educated at Harrow School Category:Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Category:British poets Category:British male writers Category:19th-century poets Category:English poets Category:English-language poets Category:Poets